576 of the
984 complaints filed about the Lincoln Mark Viii
are about the lighting —
59% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1993.
UPDATE TO LAST COMPLAINT: THE PASSENGER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT HAS FAILED, NO REPLACEMENT EXCEPT $1000 CONVERSION KIT. HAVE TO DRIVE WITH ONLY "BRIGHTS" ON FROM NOW ON. DANGER TO MYSELF AND THOSE I'M PASSING, PLUS IF THE "BRIGHTS" AREN'T ON, THEN I HAVE NO HEADLIGHTS AND COULD GET PULLED OVER. PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINT/CONTROL ARM BROKE WHILE DRIVING AND TIRE FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING IN PARKING LOT AT WORK. AFTER REPAIR, HEARING A BAD CREAKING NOISE. AIR SUSPENSION HAS TO FILL UP ALL THE WAY WHEN I START THE VEHICLE EVEN AFTER 5 MINUTES OF IT BEING SHUT OFF. HAVE PAID $1,200 FOR REPAIRS OF SUSPENSION AND STEERING IN 6 MONTHS. (THAT'S WITH MY DEALERSHIP EMPLOYEE DISCOUNT). SERIOUSLY, I'VE HEARD TOO MUCH ABOUT DEFECTIVE BALL JOINTS, HEADLIGHTS, NO HEAT, DOOR HANDLES SNAPPING OFF, AND THE AIR SUSPENSION GOING BAD. WHY IS FORD NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THESE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PARTS??? BECAUSE THE CAR IS RARE AND THEY DON'T MAKE THEM ANYMORE???
NHTSA complaint #10865064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS POOR VISIBILITY WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT. THE HEADLIGHT LENSES HAD A CONSTANT FILM, WHICH AFFECTED THE LOW BEAMS. THE CONTACT CLEANED THE LENSES SEVERAL TIMES AND CHANGED THE BULBS, BUT THE VISIBILITY REMAINED POOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
NHTSA complaint #10824520 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LINCOLN MARK VIII. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS WERE DIM CAUSING THE CONTACT TO COAST THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 179,000.
NHTSA complaint #10715954 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DIM HEADLIGHTS CAUSE POOR STREET VISIBILITY AND HIT VEHICLE PARKED IN THE STREET IN A DARK COMMERCIAL AREA. HEADLIGHTS CANNOT BE OPENED TO SERVICE AND HEADLIGHTS NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO ORDER NEW. NO AFTERMARKET OPTIONS. HAS BEEN USING HIGH BEAMS IN DARK AREAS.
NHTSA complaint #10669911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HEADLIGHT LENS BECOMES DISCOLORED AND NO REPLACEMENT AND LENS CANNOT BE REMOVED TO CLEAN INSIDE. LIMITS VISUALIZATION OF ROAD AND ONE COULD HIT WILD ANIMALS CROSSING THE STREET.
NHTSA complaint #10668376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM AND CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000. UPDATED 07/07/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO BEYOND 50 FEET. THE REFLECTIVE PART INSIDE THE HEADLIGHTS WERE COMPLETELY BLACK. THE LIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED THE FAILURE PERSISTED. UPDATED 05/28/2015
NHTSA complaint #10658700 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1993 LINCOLN MARK VIII. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE HIGH BEAM AND LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS PROBLEM. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE COULD NOT SEE AT NIGHT WITH THE HIGH BEAMS OR LOW BEAMS ON.
NHTSA complaint #10615478 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POOR VISIBILITY AT NIGHT DUE TO POOR LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. HIGH BEAMS EQUIVALENT TO WHAT LOW BEAMS SHOULD BE. HAVE EVEN REPLACED HEADLIGHTS WITH USED PARTS WITH MORE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL INTACT. HAVE PURCHASE POLISHING KITS FOR LENS. LENS REMAINS YELLOWED AND SCRATCHED, AND LIGHTING DIM DESPITE USE OF SYLVANIA SILVER STAR BULBS. NO NEW HALOGEN LIGHTS AVAILABLE, AND USE PARTS ARE WELL OVER 100 A PIECE, AND CONTAIN THE SAME DEFECTS. HID KITS ARE $150+. OWNER SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR AFTERMARKET ENHANCEMENTS TO VEHICLE TO ALLOW FOR SAFE NIGHT DRIVING WHEN HEADLIGHT DIMNESS IS DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE INHERENT DESIGN OF THE HEADLIGHTS.
NHTSA complaint #10537829 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TRAVELING FROM DALLAS, TX TO ATHENS, AL 7:30PM LIGHTS SO DIM I COULD BARELY SEE THE ROAD AHEAD. I HAVE USED CLEANING KITS SEVERAL TIMES TO CLEAN THE HEADLIGHT LENS WITH NO RESULTS. I ALSO PURCHASED AND INSTALLED REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES FROM EBAY WITH NO IMPROVEMENT IN THE LIGHTING. I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL DIFFERENT BULBS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. THIS IS REALLY A SAFETY PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN LUCKY SO FAR. ..UPDATED 01/17/2013
NHTSA complaint #10493943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TRAVELING FROM DALLAS, TX TO ATHENS, AL 7:30PM LIGHTS SO DIM I COULD BARELY SEE THE ROAD AHEAD. I HAVE USED CLEANING KITS SEVERAL TIMES TO CLEAN THE HEADLIGHT LENS WITH NO RESULTS. I ALSO PURCHASED AND INSTALLED REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES FROM EBAY WITH NO IMPROVEMENT IN THE LIGHTING. I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL DIFFERENT BULBS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. THIS IS REALLY A SAFETY PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN LUCKY SO FAR. ..UPDATED 01/17/2013
NHTSA complaint #10493943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1993 THROUGH EARLY 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII'S HAVE A SERIOUS VISIBILITY PROBLEM AT NIGHT DUE TO THEIR INFERIOR HEADLIGHT DESIGN. BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHT PROFILE IS SO SLIM AND THE LENSES YELLOW SO EASILY WITH USE, YOU CAN'T SEE ANYTHING WHEN IT IS DARK. I FIND MYSELF CHECKING TO MAKE SURE MY HEADLIGHTS ARE IN FACT ON THEY ARE SO BAD. NO PRECAUTIONS CAN BE TAKEN TO PREVENT THIS LOW VISIBILITY SITUATION, IT IS A BAD DESIGN. FORD SWITCHED OVER TO HID IN 1996 TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, BUT US OLDER VEHICLE OWNERS WERE LEFT OUT WITH A DANGEROUS CAR AND OUR ONLY CHOICE IS TO PAY ONE THOUSAND PLUS DOLLARS FOR A RETROFIT KIT THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR.
NHTSA complaint #10491618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HEADLIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE VIEW OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. MOST OF THE TIME I CANNOT EVEN TELL IF MY HEADLIGHTS ARE ACTUALLY ON WHEN I TURN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. I AM FORCED TO USE MY BRIGHTS JUST TO SEE THE ROAD IN ORDER TO DRIVE SAFELY, BUT THIS IMPAIRS THE VIEW FOR ON COMING TRAFFIC. IN ADDITION, CONVERSION KITS AND LABOR ARE EXPENSIVE, AND I SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO PAY FOR AN AFTERMARKET MODIFICATION TO UPGRADE MY VEHICLE WHEN THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT VIOLATES THE DRIVER'S SAFETY. IN ADDITION, THE HEADLIGHTS THEMSELVES HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED SO WHEN THEY DO MALFUNCTION FROM NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO PURCHASE THE HEADLIGHT OR AN UPGRADED VERSION. FURTHERMORE, NEWER MARK VIII'S (>1996) HAVE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT HEADLIGHT DESIGN AND DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM, BUT PARTS ARE NOT INTERCHANGABLE AND APPLYING AN AFTERMARKET HEADLIGHT REQUIRES PRECISION AND EXPENSIVE BODY WORK.
NHTSA complaint #10457406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE HEAD LIGHTS ON THE 94 LINCOLN MARK 8 DO NOT PUT OUT ENOUGH LIGHT TO SAFELY SEE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE RD, IT APPEARS THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL IS GONE, THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN POLISHED TO REMOVE SCRATCHES AND YELLOWING, THEY WERE ALSO AIMED, TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE FORD DOES NOT OFFER HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES FOR THIS CAR ANYMORE NOR DO THEY HAVE A SOLUTION TO FIX IT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10365530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1994 LINCOLN MARK 8 HEADLIGHTS DESIGN DOES NOT PERMIT ADEQUATE LIGHTING FOR DRIVING AT NIGHT USING LOW BEAMS. BULBS WERE REPLACED WITH HIGHER POWER BULBS AND THE LIGHTING STILL DOES NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROADWAY.
NHTSA complaint #10284478 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE KNOWN TO BURN OUT. THE PARTS ARE NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED SO THE ONLY WAY TO REPAIR THEM IS WITH A KIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS SEEMED LIKE AN EXPENSIVE TEMPORARY REMEDY. IN ADDITION, THE BLEND DOOR, WHICH OPENS THE CONTROL FOR HOT AND COLD AIR TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD, DOES NOT WORK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS COULD BE REPAIRED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT HE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE IT WAS CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS FAILURE, BUT NO DECISION ON HOW THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. HE WILL WAIT UNTIL A RECALL IS ISSUED FOR THIS FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,985. UPDATED 09/11/09 *BF UPDATED 09/15/09.
NHTSA complaint #10277640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY VEHICLE HAS 2 DEFECTS WHICH I HAVE NOTICED ON NUMEROUS OTHER CARS LIKE MINE, EVEN LATER MODEL YEARS. THE HEADLIGHTS BECOME VERY DULL AND YELLOWED AFTER 3-4 YEARS, TO THE POINT THAT YOU HAVE TO DRIVE WITH HIGHBEAMS ON ALL THE TIME JUST TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE ROAD. I HAVE SEEN THIS AS THE #1 COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS MODEL CAR ON NUMEROUS BLOGS. THE 2ND PROBLEM IS WITH THE SEAL AROUND THE BACK WINDSHIELD. IT WARPS AFTER A FEW YEARS. VIRTUALLY EVERY MARK VIII THAT I SEE HAS THIS SAME PROBLEM, AND IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR BECAUSE THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD HAS TO BE REMOVED, AND THE BACK WINDSHIELD IS MUCH MORE COMPLICATED THAN THE FRONT.
NHTSA complaint #10265456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I OWN A 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII. I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR SINCE 1999. RECENTLY, ONE OF THE HEADLIGHT LAMPS BURNED OUT. I ATTEMPTED TO BUY A REPLACEMENT BULB AT SEVERAL AUTO PARTS STORES WITHOUT SUCCESS. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL LINCOLN DEALERS AND FOUND THAT THE BULB (SYLVANIA 9500) IS NO LONGER MANUFACTURED. I ALSO FOUND THAT THERE IS NO STOCK OF AVAILABLE BULBS IN THE UNITED STATES EXCEPT FOR USED BULBS ON E-BAY. (FOR $199). I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET AND DETERMINED THAT LINCOLN'S REMEDY FOR THIS PROBLEM WAS TO SELL A CONVERSION KIT (FROM HID LIGHTS TO HALOGEN) FOR OVER $1,000.00. I DO NOT KNOW IF THEY ARE CHARGING $1,000.00 FOR A PAIR OF LIGHTS OR FOR ONLY ONE SIDE. AT THIS POINT I CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE MY VEHICLE AFTER DARK. I CANNOT FIND A REASONABLY PRICED REPLACEMENT PART. I AM LEFT WITH LINCOLN'S "REMEDY" OF SPENDING AT LEAST $1,000 TO REPLACE A HEADLIGHT BULB. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT IF I DO DRIVE THE CAR WITH ONE HEADLIGHT OUT THE OTHER ONE MAY GO OUT LEAVING ME WITH NO HEADLAMPS.
NHTSA complaint #10262952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS BURNED OUT IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPLACEMENT BULB WAS UNAVAILABLE AND WOULD BE PLACED ON BACK ORDER. THEY ALSO REQUESTED A DEPOSIT FOR THE BULB, WHICH COST OVER $100. THE CONTACT CALLED SEVERAL FORD DEALERS AND THE MANUFACTURER, WHO ALL STATED THAT THE BULB WAS OBSOLETE AND WOULD NO LONGER BE MANUFACTURED. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO DATE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000. 4/01/09 *NJ UPDATED 04/06/09.
NHTSA complaint #10261551 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNABLE TO PURCHASE REPLACEMENT BULBS FOR 1997 LINCOLN MARK VIII HEADLAMPS "LOW BEAM".....HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE H-95 SYLVANIA. NO LONGER PRODUCED..........RETOFIT KIT IS $1200............CAR IS ELEVEN YEARS OLD........OUTRAGEOUS.
NHTSA complaint #10246936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.